Machine and method for removing valve stems from inner tubes



y 1931- E. HUTCHENS 1,804,419

MACHINE AND METHOD FQR REMOVING VALVE STEMS FROM INNER TUBES Filed Oct.18, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 1- Egg May 12, 1931. E. HUTCHENS 1,804,419MACHINE AND METHOD on REMOVING VALVE STEMS FROM INNER TUBES Filed Oct.18,1926 5 Shets-Sheet 2 Nun Edward flu d/0m May 12, 1931. E. HUTCHENS vMACHINE ANDMETHOD FOR REMOVING VALVE STEMS FROM INNER TUBES Filed Q..-t- 18, 1926 f 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W- W!" WW "'II' l @4 J I J? 22 5g I I8-v l 1 7" 1/ all; 26 I [E k7 g7 Z9 1|J 2 ii? /J l/ Eda/a rd 11 20/76 726Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES EDWARD HU'roHENs', or CUDAHY,WISCONSIN, nssreivon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,-

PATENT OFFICE.

TO H. MUEHLSTEIN & CO. INC, CF NEXV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK MACHINE AND METHOD FOR REMOVING VALVE STEMS FROM INNER TUBESApplication filed October 18, 1926. Serial No. 142,508.

This invention relates to mechanism for and a method of removing themetal valve stems from old inner tubes used with pneumatic tiresvinorder that the rubber of the 5 tubes may be reclaimed.

" ofthey rolls.

Heretofore it has been a difiicult and expensive job to attempt toremove the valve stems by hand, as the stems are built into the tubes asstrongly as possible to withstand the strains imposed thereon in use, sothat removal requires considerable strength and some degree of skill tojerk and twist a stem out with the aid of pliers. It is therefore anobject of this invention to provide a machine for automatically pullingor forcing the valve stems out of the tubes and one form ofaccomplishing this result 'is to provide a pair of small diameter rollsto draw the tube, the abrupt angle formed by the small rolls serving toforce the stem base out of the rubber. I have found that rolls about twoinches in diameter will effectively prevent regular valve stems fromentering the rolls while larger diameter rolls will sometimes J catchonto and draw the stems through the rolls. 7

It. is another object of this invention to provide means for feeding thetubes into the rolls at an angle with one roll shorter than the otherand pointed in order that the tube may enter sideways under the point ofthe shorterroll so that the tube remains flat instead of bunching up andrefusing to enter the wide angle formed by the small diameter Thesideway entrance is important as the end of the folded tube stands upmore or less while the side of the tube lies flat and therefore entersthe rollsreadily in spite of the wide angle.

It is thought that my novel process of removing valve stems from innertubes will be fully understood from the following description of anapparatus by which the method I may be practiced.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.p

This invention (in a preferred form) is more fully described.

On the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machlne V embodyingthe features of this invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the delivery'end. Figure 3 is a top planview. Figure 4 is a section on the line IV- -I V of Figure 2. p l

Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 2. i Figure 6 is asection onthe line Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings: 7 The embodiment chosen for illustrationcomprises a feeding table, upon which the tubes 10 are placed, and rollstandards with suitable driving mechanism. The feeding table is adesirable but not essential element, as it will be evident from whatfollows that tubes might be fed by hand to the dehorning rolls. Thetable, however, serves to greatly speed up the operation as well aseliminating the hazzards involved in hand feeding the tubes to therolls. 1 i g f The rolls or dehorning mechanism proper are mountedbetween two similar standards 11 which enclose the driving mechanism,shown in plan in Figure 4. A motor 12 drives a j aok shaft 13 by meansof a chain 152 and gear 15 on the right end of theshaft, the left endhaving a gear drive 16 to the lowillustrated in the drawings andhereinafter er dehorning roll shaft 17 agear 18: along- 1 side the gear16 driving two of the feed table end pulley shafts 19 and 20 as will bedescribed later in more detail. The upper or short dehorning roll 21 isdriven by the gear 22 meshing with another gear on the jack shaft 13.The two standards 11 are held in alignment by a base 23, .a tie bar 24and a top brace 25.. The brace 25 carries dependmg double rolls 26 in asupport 27 to hold down the free end of the short roll 21, a rollfollower 28 being also provided to prevent tubes from bending up andwinding around the upper roll. An apron 29 is likewise provided adjacentthe lower roll to carry, the discharged tubes free from the rolls. Aplow or guide 30 extends down from the'brace in point 31 of the free endof the short upper roll to prevent the tubes from catching over thepoint of the roll; the tapered point being adapted to project over anddraw in the side of the tube to facilitate entry thereof between therolls The feeding table illustrated comprises a framework 32 supportedby the standards 11 at; oneend and; bylegs 33 at the other, the

tahle carrying a series ofreturn pull'eys 3% driven by thegear 18. Thesebelts therefore -(far'ry the advanced. edge of the tubes overthe lowe rdeh orning roll and the diagoilal pbsition of the tubes on the beltsserves to present the nearly flat central edge of the tube to thepointed end of thei upper short ro operating the illustratedembodin-ient of this ihVentiom tubes are on the feed t ltblefbelts in adiagonal position with the valve to the right as. sh cwn iri Figiire 3."It is not necessary to carefully pii ll oil't" and flatten "are tubesto have the stem ifojec tto the ektreine right as. theaction ofthedehorniri rolls will pan 'the tube into this posti'ori ift e stem hasnot been ejected by its first contactwiththe rolls. As the bl ts' arddr'ive'rif at uniform "speed, the tubes ate fed sideways under thepointed end the slib'rt ,r oll', the point of the roll pushing dqwfianybulging along the edges of the tube, when the tube has been drawnthrough the rolls up toitfhe valve stem, the widel'angleoP'cohtactpro'duced the small roll diametiir'lact'slto fhbl d back thestein while the rolls bntinue't jaraw'aie tube so that the stein'baseoiibiitto'n is snapped out of the tube aiid thsterx'i falls to the floorbetweentheen'd o f 'thesliort belts and the dehorning rolls.

' "In practieg'the "ripper roll may be made slightly larger diameterthan the lower Xper'ieiice showing that rolls approxitwoi nches indiameter will remove pra-cticall-y, all: standard stems while largergens ar'e npt nearly asefiicient. Tests show inch remove 99% of thewhilethree inch rolls will remove only 2% hhqau e hsjl' rse l slpre ent'ma el llen 'ri hef aisle. that tc e n th s ems ai qdrawslt ein in ethero s lo g h h t ug: V.

"I'have also found that at times tubes get into the scrap pile partlyinflated and as a result when the tubes are handled by my machine therolls force the air in each tube to the valve stem end thereof andeither burst the tube or shoot the valve stem out. In fact, this actionoccurs in the case of at least 25% of the tubes handled by my machine.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention y l. Ina machine of-the class described; a pairof standards, a lower roll supported in both standards a shorter upperroll supported in one standard, the. other end being free, means for,preventing distortion of the free end of said shorter roll, a pluralityof endless feeder belts of an aggregate width approximating the width ofsaid lower roll, the belts adjacent the length of the shorter upperrollending clear of said rolls and the remaining belts passing over saidlower roll.

2. In a'n achine of the class described, a pair of standards, a lowerroll supported in both standards, a shorter upper roll supported in onestandard, the other end being free, means for preventing distortion ofthe free end of said shorter roll, the free end of said shorter rollbeing beveled and means for feeding tubes angularily under said beveledend.

3-. In machine of the class described, a pair of standards, a lower rollsupported in both standards, a shorter upper roll supported in onestandard, the other end being free, means for preventing distortion ofthe free end of said shorter roll, conveyerbclts passing over the lowerroll beyond the shorter upper roll and similar belts stopping clear ofthe rolls adjacent the shorter upper roll.

4. In. a machine for forcibly removing an element from an article,-aplurality of cooperable rolls one being shorter than the other so as toallow the article to be angularly introduced between the rolls thereby.al'low-' ing the rolls to have a wider area of contact with the portionof the article therebetween, and means for actuatingjsaidrolls to causethe article'to be fed'forward and to thereby forcibly bring said elementinto contact with said rolls so as to stretch or break the article,said; rolls'being arranged with their periph cries closeenough togetherso as to prevent thevpassage of theelement therebetwecn and so thatsaidelement upon engaging, the rolls willbe forcibly ejected from thearticledue tosaid stretching or breaking of the article.

5. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a pluralityof'cooperable rolls one being shorter than theother soas to allow thetube'to be angularly introduced between the rolls thereby. allowing therolls to have a wider area of contact with the portion of the articletherebet-ween, means for actuating said rolls to cause the tube to befed forward and thereby forcibly bring the valve stem into contact withsaid rolls to stretch or break the tube, and means for supporting therolls with their peripheries close enough together so as to prevent thepassage of the valve stem therebetween and so that said valve stem uponengaging the rolls will be forcibly ejected from the tube due to saidstretching or breaking of the tube.

6. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a plurality ofcooperable rolls one being shorter than the other so as to allow thetube to be angularly introduced between the rolls, means for actuatingsaid rolls to cause the tube to be fed forward and to thereby forciblybring the valve stem into contact with said rolls so as to stretch orbreak the tube and thus eject the valve stem from the tube, and meansfor conveying diagonally arranged tubes to the roll.

7 In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a plurality ofcoopera-ble rolls one being shorter than the other so as to allow thetube to be angularly introduced between the rolls, means for actuatingthe rolls to cause the tube to be fed forward and to thereby forciblybring said valve stem into contact with said rolls so as to stretch orbreak the tube and thus eject the valve stem from the tube, and meansfor holding the free end of the shorter roll in cooperation with theother roll.

8. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a plurality ofcooperable rolls one being shorter than the other and having its freeend positioned so as to have the tube introduced between it and theother roll, means for actuating said rolls to cause the tube to be fedforward and thereby forcibly bring the valve stem into contact with saidrolls so as to stretch or break the tube and thus eject the valve stemfrom the tube, and means for preventing the tube from winding up overthe free end of the shorter roll.

9. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a plurality ofcooperable rolls arranged to have a tube inserted therebetween, meansfor actuating the rolls to cause the tube to be fed forward and tothereby forcibly bring said valve stem into contact with said rolls soas to stretch or break the tube and thus eject the valve stem from thetube, and feed belts for conveying spaced tubes to said rolls, theuppermost of said rolls having a slightly larger diameter than the lowerroll so as to facilitate the removal of the valve stem from the tube.

10. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a plurality ofcooperable rolls one being shorter than the other so as to allow thetube to be introduced therebetween,

means for actuating said rolls to cause the tube to befed forward and tothereby forcibly bring the valve stem intocontact with said rolls so asto stretch or break the tube and thus eject the valvestem from the tube,and means for guiding the tube as it leaves the rolls.

11-. The'meth'od of removing valve stems from tubes which consists-infeeding the tubes forward diagonally in spaced relation to'adehorning'position and automatically removing the valve stems from thetubes at the dehorning. position. v

12. The method of removing a valve stem from a tube which consists infeeding the tube forward and utilizing the forward movement of the tubeto stretch or break the tube and remove the valve stem therefrom.

' 13. The method of removing a valve stem from a tube which consists infeeding the tube forward to a dehorning position, arresting forwardmovement of the valve stem when it reaches the dehorning position andutilizing the additional forward movement of the tube tostretch or breakthe tubeand separate the valve stem from the tube;

14,-. The method of removing a valvestem from a tube which consists infeeding the tube forward to a dehorning position arresting forwardmovement of the valve stem when it reaches the dehorning'position,utilizing the additional forward movement of the tube to stretch orbreak the tube and thus separate the valve stem from the tube,causing-the ejected valvestem to gravitateonto a support below thedehorning position, and conveying the tube acted on to a dischargeposition.

15. The method of-removing a valve stem from a tube which consists infeeding the tube forward to a dehorning position, utilizing the forwardmovement of the tube to stretch or break thetube and to thus remove thevalve stem therefrom and preventing the tube from rolling up at thedehorning position.

16. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, means forfeeding the tubes forward in'spaced-relationship to a dehorning positionand a plurality of elements at the dehorning position-spaced asufficient distance to allow a'tube to pass therethrough but not enoughto permit the passage of the stem so that;upon the valve stem cominginto proximity with said elements the tube isstretched or broken toforcibly eject the valve stem from the tube.

17. In a machine for removing a valve stem from a tube, a plurality ofrolls spaced a suflicient distance apart to allow the passage of a tubethereb-etweenand means for feeding a tube through said rolls tostretchor break the tube and to thus cause the valve stem to b forcibly ejectedfrom the tube.

18. In a machine for removing a valve stem from atube, a plurality ofelements spaced a sufficient distance to allow a tube to pass &

therethrcmgh and arranged. to engage the valve stem and IIIBZLIlSifOI.causing. the tube to: be fed forwardbetweensaid elements tobringthevalve stemiinto proximity with saidelements se-as tu stretch or'breakthe valve stemend ofthe tube to forcibly eject the valve stem from saidtube.

. 19; Ina'machinefor removing a valve stem framzatube, means forengaging a-tube, and.- meanS' forcausinga relative movement be tween.saidengagingzmeansand the tube to bringthe valve stein intoiproximitywith said engaging means so as to stretch or. break the valvestem end.of. the tube to-forcibly eject the. valve stem from said tube.

20. In; a machine for removing a valve stemfrom a. tube-,- means-forfeeding the tube forward to. adehorningposition, and means atsaidposition for pressing. the tube to forcethe air therein to the valve:stem end of the -tube and -te thus break or stretch the saide-nd-ofthetube whereby said-steam is forcibly ejected from the tube.

21. In amachine for removing a valve-stem from 1 a tube, a: plurality ofelements spaced a sufficient distance toallow a tube to passtherethronghand arranged to: engage the valve:stem,.and meansfor causingthe tube tabe fed. forwardly between said elements to force any air in:said tubeto the-valve stem end thereef and to thus break or stretchisaid end of the: tube whereby-- said stemis forcibly ejected fromthe/tube thereby.

22. In a machine for removing a" valve stem from a tube; meansfor-engaging a tube, and means-for causing. a relative movement betweensaid :engagingmeans and the tube to force anyair in said. tu-betothevalve stem endthereoi and to thus break or stretch saidencl-of thetubewherebvsaid stem may be foreibly ;-ej.ected from thetube thereby.

23. The method of removing. avalve stem from a tube which consists increating a relative movement'betweenwthe tube and-a de-'horning.:.position-,. andutilizing said' movement tostretchl or breakthe tube at said positiomand thus. separate-the valve stem from thetube-- 24;,lhemethod of removing a-vaLve-stem from! aetube whichconsists in creating a relative'moveme-ntbetweenthe tube and aClehorning position: and utilizing said movement to force-any-airinsaidtube-t0 the valve stem end thereof and to'thus break or stretch said endof the tube whereby said stem is sepa= rated from the tube thereby;

25. The method of removingarvalwe stem froma-tube which consists-infeeding; the tube'forward to a dehorning position and utilizing; saidmovement to compress any air in said. tube and to-thus break or stretchsaid end of the tube so as towforcibly-eject the valve stem from thetube.-

26..v In a machine. for.. removing. a valve stem fnomzan inner. tube,means for gripping LSOGMLQ the tube andmeans for creating. a relativemovement between the tube and valve stom-

